Low soil water and nutrient availability below New Zealand kauri (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agathis australis</Emphasis> (D. Don) Lindl.) trees increase the relative fitness of kauri seedlings |
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Authors: | E Verkaik F Berendse R O Gardner |
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Institution: | (1) Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Bornsesteeg 69, 6708 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands;(2) Auckland War Memorial Museum, Private Bag 92 018, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Abstract: | Tree species can affect the soil they are growing on and this might influence their fitness. The New Zealand gymnosperm tree
species kauri (Agathis australis (D. Don) Lindl.) which grows in mixed angiosperm–gymnosperm forests has a substantial effect upon the soil. We studied the
hypotheses that: (1) low soil moisture availability below mature kauri trees hampers growth of kauri seedlings and angiosperm
seedlings, (2) low nutrient availability below kauri trees hampers only angiosperm seedlings, and (3) angiosperm seedlings
are hampered more than kauri seedlings by the conditions below kauri trees. We tested these hypotheses by planting seedlings
of kauri and mapau (Myrsine australis (A. Rich) Allan) under kauri trees and applying the following treatments: removal of herbs, removal of litter, removal of
nutrient limitation, and elimination of root competition of mature kauri trees. The results indicate that low soil moisture
availability, or the combination of low soil moisture availability and low nutrient fertility, hampers the growth of kauri
as well as mapau seedlings below kauri trees. The mapau seedlings are hampered relatively more than the kauri seedlings which
might result in an increased relative fitness of the latter. |
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Keywords: | Forest succession Plant competition Plant– soil interactions |
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